Ok people let’s be real it’s award season and sometimes you have to think about what really makes these people stand out. In this case I’m thinking about me, duh??!! Anyway not a secret I’m a twin mom. A twin mom with a single income household. Long before this I was a couponer, pretty good at it too no time for extreme. And while there I was working my way out of debt from being house poor and a whole bunch of other crap. I mention these things because there are many times in my life that I have had to, I don’t know, gulp, double gulp, take care of myself. I have had to find companies and people that believe in their products and make it worth it for me to buy it. Yes there are many times when I may be considered frugal. But if it’s something special with people who back up there products and go out of their way to help than I’ll pay for it. These people and companies deserve recognition!
Now I am in no way being compensated for my statements. Some of these companies have no clue who I am or that they have been so great to me. These are solely my experiences and the world should know about my “glam squad” behind my “glam squad”. I will also feature them on the products pages if you are interested in learning more, sound fair? Some are local to Chicago and many are at least country wide do not fret I’ll specify of course! First lets chat about companies that stand by their products regardless of time you have had them and poor usage, or storage. My first major encounter with this was probably 10 years ago. It was 7 years since I bought my first pair of Uggs and they ripped up the front. OMG these like stupid expensive, super comfy, and not so pretty boots are broken. I said WTH and contacted the company. To my surprise, with no receipt, as they were like 7 years old, they gave me full credit towards buying a new pair, whaat?? Since then I have said ok I will buy from this large company that still operates as a small company. The next company is what sparked my idea of writing this article, Big Toys Green Country. Ok seriously I was really sparked by this company. Mr. WaitWhat HAD to have this remote controlled 2 seater ride on car for the fellas. He did the research, I called to ask questions which they were amazing at answering and calming my mind, and we bought this truck for way more money than I would usually pay for a TOY. After we received the truck there were a few pieces that were damaged that they promptly sent us new ones. BUT that is not even why I write. We live in an older house where storage is at a premium. We have a TRUE 2 car garage that we cram my giant SUV and the MiniVan into and also have started storing this truck upright against a wall. Well I bumped it and totally fell on me, a little damage nothing crazy. Then the kids were playing with it and OMG it FELL on one of my sons. They were not harmed but several pieces were definitely damaged. Mr. WaitWhat said we cannot pay more money for this truck he will glue it together. Well this lady decided to call customer support to ask about replacement parts. You know what happened? They told me since we have never had a warranty claim or anything they were going to send me the parts free of charge to fix the truck. I took pictures and there was 1 more piece that needed fixing. They do not stock that piece, but called the manufacturer who then sent us that part along with the 2 others again free of charge. Never hurts to ask but I was totally not expecting that! He of course said if we liked his product and service please review where I was like I am totally writing a blog post about it! Ok now more on my glam squad and people. I have mentioned many times my hair stylist Stella at Meraki Hair Loft. This is a mom of now 3 children who has saved my butt and my hair on more occasions than I can count. She used to work for a salon right behind my house where I would come through the back door and bring a pot of good coffee, I do not even drink coffee. Now as a business owner she has met me on January 2 at 7am so we could take family pictures. And again before other events. Find a stylist and stick with them. Grow with them and learn. Another company again I have talked about is Benefit. Where I definitely cheat on which boutique I may go to, I try to head over to the Damen one. When I was a new mama I had a few minutes to myself. Walked in to a very busy Benefit. The guy at the front said we may have something in a half hour but not a guarantee. I said Ok I am going to go pump, jumped in my car, did my thing and came back in. They were still booked. A woman there, Ms. Rachel, said I'm a mom, I know you are busy, I can take you. She squeezed me in and I am forever in her debt. Along with my girl Ms. Melissa they rock my world. Realize when I was getting admitted to the hospital I said to the nurses, "Do not worry I am not staying I have an eyebrow appointment on Thursday and things to do." Again another benefit got me in a few weeks later to save my butt. Yeah there are Benefit Brow bars in Ulta but if you have a "real" boutique close to you I highly recommend. Those ladies and gentlemen are trained differently and are just lovely! Recently I discovered Rodan and Fields. Ok big company, MLM, and a lash enhancer that I cannot even describe as anything but fabulous! My lashes and brows have grown and now look like falsies and even microbladed. My fellow preemie twin mama Zehra is just getting started so if you want give her some love! Of course I have to mention my girl Patti at Enfuse Med Spa. I actually went to her at another medical spa 100 years ago and then she left to manage Enfuse. This med spa closed without notice and I was stuck mid laser sessions. She took me in and between her and their receptionist Kevin they take very good care of me. Kevin even watched my twinnies while I went in for my treatment! Lets go even deeper, a woman that has kept me "Perky" before, during and after pregnancy. Oh a whim I went to a bra party with my old and terrible bra, knowing while in debt these things went by the waist side. She is a professional bra fitter, and got me into a great bra. She has become a friend. A confidante and mentor. Ms. Carrie from Essential Bodywear. Carrie even found my friend in Arizona a bra fitter so she took could preserve the "perk". Since going to these bras no migraine related to bra pain because they hold from the sides not the straps. There is a break in period where I wanted to rip them off, but then, the BEST things ever! Check out the "lollapalooza" pants to prevent the chafe as well! As of recently I have found Weightix (if you want an invitation email me with your email and I will send one out) for my Keto Journey and Beachbody (with my girl Heather who's daughter is my goddaughter) for my physical and mental self. These 2 programs are helping me on my 40 for 40 mission and they too deserve some serious shoutouts. Finally, I cannot write an article of honorable mentions without my Favs over at Twiniversity, who you know I write for often. They have been there for me through EVERYTHING! They are part of my journey and without Nat and Julie and all the other squad girls I do not have a clue where I would be today! There it is, maybe you are still reading. What are your favorite companies or places? Who are your people behind your fabulous self?
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As a teenager I had a few friends who attended Northwestern University's Summer Center for Talent Development. In that program they were able to explore accessibility for all people. They would go into bathrooms and see if the doors to the stalls were able to be opened if only part of the hand functioned. They got down to see how they would be able to manage life in a wheelchair. And they tried to feel and see the life through the eyes of people with a variety of disabilities to see how our hometown faired. Obviously I recently thought about this as a parent of a child that is not potty trained. Now absolutely not the same as a person living with a disability, but many of the same places that we need to go to assist our children are the handicapped accessible spaces.
Here is where we go from there. Since my friends went through these programs (I am hoping to get my friend a silent shout out I hope she knows I learned from her specifically), I have been more conscious of my choices while in a bathroom. I NEVER go right towards the handicapped stall. If the bathroom is packed I will use it but not my first choice. We went to a restaurant the other day, Miller's Ale House, a place where I have gone up to the management to tell them for a bar and a restaurant they are the most kid friendly space ever. They highly maintain their baby changing stations and even stock disposable liners so we do not have to put our kids naked tushies on the table. I followed in a group of other patrons and a woman went right for the handicapped accessible stall. As she turned around to see me with my kid she apologized and went to another stall, but muttered yeah it is where I go first. When twin #2 needed to go I was waiting for the stall and let me say talking loudly to that kiddo so that person in the stall would realize that we were waiting. To have an employee come out of the stall. I was perturbed to say the least. Hence I am writing an entry on it. We need to be conscious of all people. We need to be able to see the differences in people and where they may NEED to be instead of a bigger place for you to take care of your business. If it is not a packed bathroom, do not bee line for the ONLY accessible stall in the place. We have already seen many instagram posts of fathers with kids on their knees as to not let their kid have to lie down of the bathroom floor, do not make moms have to do the same. That's another article in its entirety but thank you California for enacting new legislation for men's bathrooms to have changing areas as well. Maybe a rant. Maybe we will be conscious. Accessibility for all people. Thank you that is my public service annoucement for the day lol! Well Friends and Followers, here I am 1 year into my initial 2 year blogging experiment. I know there have been many times that I am silent. Blogging elsewhere. Not keeping up with my own site. And just being busy in this life I am trying to lead. But in tallying up what I actually did last year from the end of January until now I wrote 40 blog articles this page, several reviews of products, books, etc, about the same amount of articles for my peeps over at twiniversity. I have attended conferences, researched products, reflected on my life and tried to better myself mind, body and soul. All in all, as much as I thought I had failed you all I think I did a damn good job? I mean probably 100 separate posts either here or other sites? To me that is better than I could have imagined.
But here it is friends...I am a little less than 6 months to 40. Yup 40, with twin toddlers, a couple of jobs, and this is little blog, my passion project. I have made a commitment to many, shall we say, resolutions for this upcoming milestone. 1. Lose 40 for 40: I started Keto in October and to date I have lost about 18 pounds so halfway there. I have found some amazing groups like Weightix Warriors, Ketofy.me, many Keto Instagram starts, well stars in my mind (Girl.vs.Carbs, KetoConnect, GnomGnom, etc). I was able to reestablish my roots in the low carb high protein life in a much healthier way than the older programs out there. I also just recently started back with my fellow Preemie Parent, ShaunT on his new program Transform:20. Its 20 friggin minutes and I am more than 1/2 way through and I am rocking it, kind of. 2. Here is a commitment that I would like to propose to you my followers... I think I can handle writing 40 articles for 40? What do you think? What would you like to hear about from the mind of Ms. Wait What? I am down. I guess here is 1, and it would be great to do 40 on my actual birthday July 19. 3. Get my kiddos up and running in life as they hit new milestones of becoming 2 and actually to doctors now actually being 2 instead of 2 months adjusted backwards. We are navigating preschool (already signed up for next fall), early intervention (which I will be delving into more in the coming weeks), and just trying to ensure they are enriched to the best of my ability. 4. Taking care of me. Learning new things (I am trying to figure out some photography so for real if you have tips we invested in a nice Nikon and the fellas are some kicking brand reps that mom gets into sometimes), working on navigating this crazy thing called life, making choices and accepting benefits and consequences. I think that's a pretty good list. Most I am well on my way into doing. Here is 1/40, back more soon! Let me know your thoughts! Happy Days friends! Ms. Wait What will be quiet no more. I owe you much follow up to fall articles and I will deliver! |
AuthorJenifer Roth is a full time super woman...in her mind! Well she is good at being ok at the all the roles she takes on. Enjoy the ride! Archives
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